1. Field
The present embodiments generally relate to marine structures comprising a drain pipe adapted to guide fluid from the marine structure to a body of water at least partially surrounding the marine structure.
2. Description of the Related Art
It is conventional in oil and/or gas drilling and production to collect rainwater from the decks of a marine structure, such as a sea-going vessel or an offshore facility. Typically, a plurality of drains is arranged throughout one or more decks of the marine structure, especially on portions of the decks which are open and therefore exposed to the weather. Since the rainwater washes any spilled oil or grease off of the deck and into the drains, the collected rainwater may be passed through a filter or treatment facility in order to separate any oil or grease from the collected rainwater before it is guided to a body of water that at least partially surrounds the marine structure.
Drain pipes are used to guide the collected rainwater to the body of water that at least partially surrounds the marine structure in order to prevent people that are on, or in the vicinity of the marine structure from being hit or splashed by the fluid stream that is drained from the marine structure and/or to prevent objects, structures and/or apparatus on, or in the vicinity of the marine structure from being damaged by the fluid stream drained from the marine structure.
In addition, or instead, a drain pipe may be used for distributing additional fluids inter alia operational fluids—such as cooling water, ballast water or bilge water—from the marine structure to the body of water that at least partially surrounds the marine structure.
A drain pipe is normally fixedly attached to a supporting member of a marine structure, such as a support leg of an offshore facility for example, by a plurality of connecting means that are welded to the marine structure. Water waves, underwater currents and the wind can however exert substantial forces on the drain pipe and the marine structure, which may damage the marine structure and in the worst case, may cause the drain pipe to become detached from the marine structure